Our Process

As your estate planning attorney, we strive to serve you as people, not as a file. By focusing on your family’s hopes, dreams and aspirations, we are able to combine our legal expertise to create plans that serve your family not only today, but well into the future.

Step One: The Initial Consultation

We offer prospective estate planning clients a complimentary initial consultation for general estate planning.

Step Two: The Design Meeting

During this first meeting, Emily will spend two to three hours with the clients. After listening to our clients’ needs, plans and goals, Emily will generally make some estate planning recommendations. In some cases the clients may need a follow-up meeting to present a summary and specific recommendations.

After making her recommendations, Emily will quote a flat fee for design, drafting and implementation of the plan. Clients then may choose to engage our firm by signing a fee agreement and paying a deposit; or they may choose to take some time to reflect before moving ahead.

Step Three: Review and Sign the Documents

Should our clients choose to engage our firm at this point, a follow-up meeting to review and sign documents and begin implementation of the plan will be scheduled. This meeting usually lasts about an hour and half, as Emily will thoroughly explain the planning documents to the clients, and to their family members if necessary. Emily will also explain how to fund trusts and provide instructions on how to complete this process.

Step Four: Ongoing Client Care (optional)

We do not consider the signing of the documents as just the final part of a legal transaction. In fact, we strive to build lasting relationships with our clients. Through our firm’s Client Care Program we keep our clients informed of changes that could affect their planning, maintain a secure storage of your estate planning, legal, and financial records in order to maintain your estate plan to meet your ever changing estate planning goals. We also encourage our clients to call our office when they have a question concerning any aspect of their estate planning.